TOPIC: GS 3 Disaster and Disaster Management.
Monsoon malady
What is the news?
The monsoon over the greater Mumbai region has come to be characterised by the unsettling annual spectacle of collapsing buildings, and this year is proving to be no different.
Loopholes in the system
- An unsafe multiÂstoreyed building in a core area of the cities are the main reason
- The disaster has brought in its wake the familiar accusations, of people occupying unsafe and illegal buildings, and civic authorities failing to act in time.
- To criticism with a helpless exhortation to the city administration to remove dangerous structures.
- Going beyond these predictable impulses, the overburdened city needs a timeÂbound and accountable system of ensuring the safety of its housing stock.
- Coinciding with this year monsoon, the Corporate Housing and Area Development Authority identified structures in cities as being extremely dangerous
- With an advisory to over occupants to move to transit accommodation, while reconstruction is undertaken.
- Understandably, the occupants are reluctant, since the alternative housing is far away from their education and work locations.
- Coastal Areas sits in the pathway of extreme monsoon weather events, which are forecast to increase in frequency due to ongoing warming of the Arabian Sea.
Preparedness for Disaster Management
- Scientists including those of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology have proposed in the context of the flood a few years ago, that accurate monsoon forecasting over central India, incorporating changes to sea surface temperature, would help governments prepare better to save lives and agriculture.
Measures to be taken
- To accelerate its repair and rehabilitation programme for weak structures and replace those that cannot be salvaged.
- The cities desperately needs channels for huge volumes of water to flow out, and a plan to create new urban wetlands
- It helps in feasible to store the precipitation.
- A rejuvenated water bodies its planned cleanÂup has been delayed by the
- COVIDÂ19 crisis could offer some relief, but more water bodies are needed.
- It will take a mass housing programme to make life safer for the thousands in hovels.
Way Forward
- A farÂsighted plan to shift people from buildings to modern ones is also a health imperative start must be made with the most dangerous structures.
- Government must assure the policy intervention for the necessary disaster management
- Policies with adequate infrastructure are possible steps for ensuring capacity building in the process of the system
Mains question
Cities must urgently replace weakened buildings to prevent houses collapsing in rain. Explain
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PRELIMS PUNCHERS
- El Salvador
It is officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador’s capital and largest city is San Salvador.
There are several lakes enclosed by volcanic craters in El Salvador, the most important of which are Lake Ilopango and Lake Coatepeque . Lake Guija is El Salvador’s largest natural lake. Several artificial lakes were created by the damming of the Lempa, the largest of which is Cerron Grande Reservoir. It has a tropical climate with pronounced wet and dry seasons. Temperatures vary primarily with elevation and show little seasonal change. The Pacific lowlands are uniformly hot the central plateau and mountain areas are more moderate. It’s position on the Pacific Ocean also makes it subject to severe weather conditions, including heavy rainstorms and severe droughts, both of which may be made more extreme by the El Niño and La Niña effects
- National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
It  is the implementation wing of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA). It is a registered society originally formed by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. As per the amendment in the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, both NGRBA and NMCG were allocated to the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The Secretary to the Government of India is Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation the current chairman of the Governing Council of NMCG. At the national level, NMCG is the coordinating body, supported by States Level Program Management Groups (SPMGs), also registered as societies under Societies Registration Act, 1860, of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and West Bengal and a dedicated Nodal Cell in Jharkhand.
The area of operation of NMCG shall be the Ganga River Basin, including the states through which the Ganga flows, as well as the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The area of operation may be extended, varied or altered in future, by the Governing Council to such other states through which major tributaries of the Ganga River flow and as NGRBA may decide for the purpose of effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the Ganga.
- Dalbergia latifolia
It is indigenous to India and distributed in the sub-Himalayan tract of eastern U.P to Sikkim. It also occurs in central, western and southern India.
Climate is Maximum temperature ranges from 38°C to 50°C and minimum temperature ranges from 0°C to 15°C and the annual rainfall ranges from 750mm to 5000mm. It occurs in a variety of soils and geological formations but it attains best development in well-drained deep moist soils.
Though in early stages it tolerates enough shade, it is a moderate light demander because its best development takes place when it gets complete overhead light. As compared to Sissoo, it is more frost tender. Though affected by drought in early stages, it is drought resistant in tree stage. It coppices well and produces root-suckers in large numbers. It is exported to Europe under the name of rosewood or Bombay block wood. Wood is also used for making cart wheels, gun carriages.
Sources : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/why-rosewood-is-in-the-cross-hairs/article34798580.ece
- River Mithi
It is a river on Salsette Island, the island of the city of Mumbai, India. It is a confluence of tail-water discharges of the Powai and Vihar lakes. The river is seasonal and rises during the monsoons. The overflowing lakes also contribute to the river flow, which is stopped by a dam at other times. During this season, the gutter is a favourite with anglers, who can catch large fish that have escaped from the lakes. Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is located right next to the section of RIVER at Andheri.
It is also less well known that the Mahim bay area, where Mithi River meets Arabian Sea is a nominated bird sanctuary where migratory birds come for nesting. This part is full of mangroves. It used to serve as an important storm water drain for Mumbai but as it has been used as a sewer over the years, its importance as a storm water drain has reduced and on the contrary, it poses as a hazard during high tide bringing polluted water into the city and flooding the city.
PRELIMS QUESTIONS
- Consider the following statement with reference to El Salvador
- It is a country in South America
- It is bordered with Pacific ocean and enclosed by volcanic craters
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only                                (b) 2 only
(c). Both of them                (d). None of the above
Answer : B
It is officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador’s capital and largest city is San Salvador.
There are several lakes enclosed by volcanic craters in El Salvador, the most important of which are Lake Ilopango and Lake Coatepeque . Lake Guija is El Salvador’s largest natural lake. Several artificial lakes were created by the damming of the Lempa, the largest of which is Cerron Grande Reservoir. It has a tropical climate with pronounced wet and dry seasons. Temperatures vary primarily with elevation and show little seasonal change. The Pacific lowlands are uniformly hot the central plateau and mountain areas are more moderate. It’s position on the Pacific Ocean also makes it subject to severe weather conditions, including heavy rainstorms and severe droughts, both of which may be made more extreme by the El Niño and La Niña effects
- Consider the following statement with reference to River Mithi
- It is a river on Salsette Island, the island of the city of Gujarat, India
- It is well known that the Mahim bay area, where Mithi River meets Arabian Sea
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only                                (b) 2 only
(c). Both of them                (d). None of the above
Answer : B
It is a river on Salsette Island, the island of the city of Mumbai, India. It is a confluence of tail-water discharges of the Powai and Vihar lakes. The river is seasonal and rises during the monsoons. The overflowing lakes also contribute to the river flow, which is stopped by a dam at other times. During this season, the gutter is a favourite with anglers, who can catch large fish that have escaped from the lakes. Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is located right next to the section of RIVER at Andheri.
It is also less well known that the Mahim bay area, where Mithi River meets Arabian Sea is a nominated bird sanctuary where migratory birds come for nesting. This part is full of mangroves. It used to serve as an important storm water drain for Mumbai but as it has been used as a sewer over the years, its importance as a storm water drain has reduced and on the contrary, it poses as a hazard during high tide bringing polluted water into the city and flooding the city.